


August 1899: 6 years later

by Syrus07



Series: Call Me Crazy [1]
Category: Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken, Tuck Everlasting - Miller/Tysen/Shear & Federle
Genre: Gen, Jesse/Crutchie conspiracy, The year Winnie Foster turns 17
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-05
Updated: 2016-10-05
Packaged: 2018-08-19 15:57:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8215633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Syrus07/pseuds/Syrus07
Summary: In honor of Newsies closing I ended up writing a series of one shots about the Jesse/Crutchie Conspiracy. This is the first one, since the strike happened six years after "the events with Winnie Foster."





	

Jesse threw one of the old carrier bags over his shoulder as he crept towards the staircase. He'd grabbed everything of value that he had (a copy of the picture from the strike, a drawing Jack had made, and his hat from when he came to New York, the one he had worn to the fair with Winnie), the small amount of money he had, and a few bites of food. It would be enough to get him to New Hampshire. He and Winnie would be able to figure everything out after they were reunited.

His heart ached when he thought of Winnie. For the past six years she had been a dream that Jesse was constantly working towards. Everything would end up okay if he could just get back to Treegap when Winnie turned seventeen. Sure, he knew it would hurt to leave New York, but couldn't risk her drinking the water and not being able to find him. Of course, she always could not drink the water and he would have left his family here for nothing.

He paused at the top of the staircase, debating that for a moment. Could he just come back? Would he even be able to stay here much longer? Or would it soon come the time where even Les would look older than him and he'd be forced to run away before someone asked too many questions? He shook the thoughts out of his head. He couldn't dwell on those sorts of things. He had a goal in mind.

As his toe tapped against the first step, he heard the window creek open behind him. Jack was sneaking in after spending most of the night on the roof. Jesse should've known to check first. If Jack was awake, he'd have to say a goodbye and after having said so many to so many loved ones Jesse didn't know if he could make it through any more.

"Crutchie...what's going on?" He stood right inside the window, the light shining on his back, masking his face and surrounding him with a gentle glow. "Why are you out of bed...without your Crutch?"

Jesse knew leaving the worn wood behind was a bit of a give away, but he didn't need it nearly as much anymore now that he was regaining leg strength. Maybe he should've just ditched it in the alley.

"Jack, I can't...." He took a deep breath and hung his head. He couldn't meet Jack's eyes, or his face at all. "I have to leave."

The taller boy took a brief step back, recovering from the shock. "Crutchie..." He regained his composure and forced a smirk, but Jesse knew him well enough now. He wasn't happy about this, "I thought I was the one who dreamed of escaping New York. You kept trying to get me to stay."

"I made a promise. " Jesse apologized, "I told someone six years ago, that when she turned seventeen, I'd come back for her. I don't-" he sighed, but raised eyes, revealing his face. "I don't want to leave."

"Then stay."

Jesse's heart broke. This is why he hated goodbyes. If someone asked him to stay he normally would. He'd nod and lay back down in his bunk. But he couldn't this time. He had Winnie waiting in New Hampshire, and he couldn't just leave her there. Even if she didn't drink. He'd made a promise. "Jack, I...."

He nodded and walked towards him until he was close enough that Jesse could see the corner's of his mouth quirking upwards. "Then don't go alone." With that he turned on a dime and started mimicking Jesse's actions from only half an hour earlier. Everything he cared about made it's way into a carrier bag alone with all the money and food he possessed. When he finished he send Jesse a smirk, the light catching his teeth making it even brighter, "We're family."

Jesse was stunned. "But what about Katherine and David and Medda. You can't give them up for me." Sure, Jack had been his brother in all but blood for the past six years, but he wasn't the only person Jack cared about. It wouldn't be fair for Jesse to force him to choose between all of them and him.

"Crutchie," his voice struck down any argument that Jesse could raise. This was a decision that Jack didn't take lightly, one he had made back when he was still dreaming of Santa Fe. "You're my best friend; I'm not letting you leave alone." He grabbed his bag and made his way over to the stairs. His arm was slung around the shorter boys shoulders, fitting like a missing puzzle piece. "So, where are we going?"

"Treegap, New Hampshire."


End file.
